Meatless Monday: Butternut squash edition

Before I get to the good stuff, I have to give a little preview of what will be a part of my breakfast tomorrow (and was my afternoon snack today):

Vegan pumpkin “cottage cheese.” More on that tomorrow. 🙂

On to the main event. I was looking through this book today to get ideas for something to cook for dinner tonight.

I love this book. It is the best vegan guide, ever.

All I knew is that I wanted it to incorporate butternut squash and black beans (since I had some in the fridge needing to be used). I found a recipe for butternut squash lentil burgers, and loosely based the recipe on that. I figured I could just wing it based on whatever ingredients I had on hand that would mesh well together. I was also thinking about what I had on hand to serve as a side dish. I got some chard at the farmers’ market the weekend before last, so it was time to use that up. I have also been dying to cook the farro I bought last week in bulk from my co-op, since I’ve never had it before. What I really ended up with were two main dishes- both very hearty and filling. The intended side dish could easily be a main dish on its’ own, but it paired really well with the burgers.

The final product: Coconut-curry black bean butternut burgers (say that three times fast!) and Warm farro, chard and butternut salad.

The salad looked so pretty while it was cooking. So many colors!

We even ate in our dining room- a rare occurrence!

Coconut-curry black bean butternut burgers (makes 4 small patties)

1/2 c butternut squash (cubed) + sprinkle of nutmeg

1/2 T red curry paste

2/3 c black beans, drained

1 hearty piece of bread, toasted (I used Whole Foods Multi-seed) and torn up into very small pieces

1/2 c TVP

1 tsp garam masala

1 1/2 T coconut spread

salt + pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350˚. Sprinkle nutmeg and a dash of sea salt over the butternut squash cubes and roast in the oven until soft (about 15 min. @ 350˚). Remove from oven and place in a bowl. Add red curry paste and 1/2 T coconut oil and mash together (make sure it gets mixed really well!). Add in black beans, and mash well into the mixture. Stir in bread pieces, TVP, garam masala, and a dash of salt + pepper. Form into 1/4 c. size patties. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, turning the patties over after 20 minutes. When burgers have about a minute left, heat 1 T coconut spread in a pan over medium heat. Remove burgers from oven and place in the pan to cook- about 2 minutes on each side. They will get a nice crust and coconut flavor on the outside.

Place water (with a little salt) and farro in a pot, covered, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook for about 25 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Farro should be slightly tender, but still have a “bite” to it. Meanwhile, spray some cooking spray in a pan and place over medium heat. Add in garlic and cook for one minute. Add in chard, nutmeg, salt + pepper and stir well. Allow greens to cook down almost all the way and stir in mushrooms, butternut squash and coconut oil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in farro and cook for an additional 4 minutes on low heat.

It would be really difficult to choose which dish was better. I thought that the burgers could have done without the red curry paste at first, but I think that was just because I got a bite of it that didn’t mix in very well. I liked the burgers more and more with each bite- the coconut spread added an incredible flavor! And the warm salad was great from start to finish. Greg liked it a lot. And, really- farro… where have you BEEN all my life??

I’m exhausted! Time to prepare for an early bedtime and even earlier wake-up call!

Hi, I'm Lauren: 32 and living in the DC Metro area. I thrive on
eating organic, wholesome food and sharing food-related tips. I love
being a Spinning and Bodypump instructor, and have an equal passion for yoga. I strive to find the balance between eating, exercising & recovery each day. These are my daily thoughts- hope you enjoy them!

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